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Essays, Political, Economical and Philosophical

1796/1798 Subjects: Politics and government, Forms: Essays Translation Status: Compilation English London URL

Contributions

Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford
author
Cadell & Davies
publisher

Related resources

is related to
La Décade philosophique, littéraire et politique
has translation
Essais politiques, économiques et philosophiques: tr. de l'anglais par L.M.D.C. translation
has part
Of Food, and Particularly of Feeding the Poor has translation

Notes

These essays, which were translated into six languages, including French, German and Spanish, gave Thompson/Rumford an international reputation. Before their translation, they were also extensively reviewed in Jean-Baptiste Say's Décade Philosophique (An VII, no.32), pp.268-73, 329-37, 467-78.

Rumford argued that moral cohesion in a civil society, and, particularly, allegiance to one's sovereign, or ruler, depended on one's "happiness". This meant being sufficiently fed, sheltered, dressed and loved.

Karl Marx contemptuously referred to Thompson's "Cookbook" (the 'Essays') in 'Das Kapital' (Ch.22, sec.4).

The essay in the collection from which the translation is taken (no III), is entitled, 'Of food, and particularly of feeding the poor'.

For more on Thompson and these 'Essays', see Fritz Redlich, 'Science and Charity: Count Rumford and his Followers', in International Review of Social History, vol.16, no.2 (1971).